Cap for drinking glasses



June '4, 1935. R. l. STUBBLEFIELD 2,003,657

GAP FOR DRINKING GLASSES Filed April 27, 1934 Patented June 4, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention is a cap for use upon drinking glasses and is designed more particularly for use by small children, the object being to provide a device which will permit a child to drink easily, but will prevent spilling of the liquid if glass having a cap embodying the invention fitted thereon.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the cap shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section showing the glass tilted as in the act of drinking, with the cap open to permit the escape of the liquid.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a different form of opening in the cap.

Figure 5 is a sectional perspective showing a modification of the'cap.

Figure 6 is a sectional view showing a further modification.

Figures 7 and 8 are views similar to Figure 6 showing other forms of the invention.

In the drawing, the reference numeral I in:- dicates a drinking glass and 2 designates a cap fitted upon the glass. This cap embodies a top portion and an annular rim 3 adapted toencircle the upper edge of the glass, as shown, and may be made of any suitable material which is resilient and durable. Preferably, the cap is constructed of rubber, but other materials may be and have been used and have been found satisfactory. As shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 3, the rim of the cap is provided on its inner side with shallow grooves or corrugations 4 which open through the edge of the rim and extend into the top portion of the cap, as clearly shown. These grooves or corrugations constitute a vent whereby air may enter the glass as the water or other liquid is drawn therefrom and will thereby prevent the formation of a partial vacuum which might operate to hold the cap in an open position and thereby permit the access of dust or other impurities to the contents of the glass. A slit 5 is formed in the top of the cap adjacent the rim and preferably at a point diametrically opposite the vents 4. In Figures 1, 2 and 3, this slit 5 isshown as a straight out disposed at a right angle to a diameter of the cap, while, in Figure 4, the slit is arcuate and concentric with the rim, as shown at 6, the form shown in Figure 4 being otherwise identical with the forms shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. It will be observed that the slit is disposed at an acute angle to the surfaces of the cap so that the edge of the lip 1, formed by the slit at the inner side of the slit, will be held against springing outwardly beyond the top of the cap by the opposed surface of the slit, while light pressure upon the lip will cause it to spring inwardly, as shown in Figure 3, and enlarge the opening defined by the slit so that the user of the glass may easily drink therefrom. It is also to be noted that the top of the cap is somewhat thicker immediately adjacent the rim, as shown at 8, than it is in its central portion, this thickened portion of the cap' serving to reinforce the same so that it will not be readily cut by the edge of the glass or split or torn through careless use.

In use, the cap is fitted upon the glass after the glass has been filled or partly filled with the liquid to be dispensed, and when it is desired to drink, the user merely places the device in drinking position at his mouth so that his upper lip will press upon the lip I sufficiently to open the cap, as shown in Figure 3. As the liquid passes from the vessel, air will enter through the vent 4, as has been stated.

In Figure 5, the cap 9 is shown as a disk of rubber or other resilient material carried by a metal rim Hi and having a slit ll formed therein, the slit being U-shaped and somewhat longer than the slits shown in Figures 2 and 3. There is also a raised portion or rib l2 upon the cap at the center of the same and disposed upon a diameter thereof so that when pressure is applied to the cap by the lip of a drinker, the drinkers lip will bear upon this rib and any liability of the cap to close prematurely and pinch the drinkers lip will thereby be avoided, the drinkers lip being held by the rib out of contact with the lip of the cap defined by the slittherein. The rim 10 may be of metal and of such diameter as to fit snugly upon the edge of a drinking glass and an air vent will be formed in the rim, as will be understood.

In Figure 6, the cap I3 is shown as a thin rubber sheet of convex form and having a. slit I4 formed therein at one point near its edge. In this form of the invention, the edge of the cap is clamped within a. bead or crimp l5 formed. along the upper edge of a rim or ring Hi which is adapted to encircle the edge of a drinking glass. In Figures 7 and 8 further. variations of the invention are shown, the cap in each of these figures being shown as a flat disk or sheet of rubber ll having a slit l8 therein. In Figure 7, the edge of the disk or sheet is secured between a flange I! at the upper edge of a ring 20 and held flrmly against said flange by an inner ring or flange 2| secured within the rim, while in Figure 8 there is shown a rim 22 having a bead 23 at its upper edge receiving the edge of the disk, and a split retaining ring 24 is fitted in the bead at the back of the disk to retain the disk in place.

The device is exceedingly simple and easily applied to or removed from a drinking glass. It may be produced at a very low cost and has been found highly eflicient in actual use.

It will be understood that the rib [2 may be provided on any of the forms in which the invention may be embodied, and also that the length of the slit may be determined somewhat by the material of which the cap is made, sheet metal requiring a longer slit than rubber to obtain the needed resiliency.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A cap for a drinking glass including a rim to completely encircle the glass, and a resilient top extending over the entire top of the glass, said resilient top having a slit therein adjacent the rim thereof to constitute a drinking opening, the walls of the slit being inclined downwardly toward the rim relative to the surface of the top and the area of the upper surface of the tab formed thereby being less than the area of the under surface of said tab whereby the slit is normally closed and the inner wall may yield to a drinkers lip to open the slit.

2. A resilient cap for a drinking vessel adapted to cover the entire top of the vessel and having an annular rim completely encircling the top of the vessel and having a slit adjacent but spaced inwardly from its edge, said slit being normally closed and defining a lip yieldable to pressure from a drinkers lip to permit escape of the contents of the vessel.

3. A cap for a drinking vessel comprising a rim to completely encircle the vessel and a substantially air-tight top portion covering the entire top of the vessel and having a normally closed slit therein adjacent the rim but spaced inwardly therefrom to deflne a drinlnng opening and provided in the inner surface of the rim with grooves extending into the undersurface of the top whereby to constitute an air vent.

ROY IRVIN STUBBLEFIELD. [L. 5.] 

